Seattle, Denver to receive snow as new storm aims for Northwest, Rockies
Some areas in lower elevations, including Seattle, could receive an accumulation of snow.
Those in the Northwest have been no stranger to major storm systems as of late, with heavy mountain snow and waves of torrential rainfall along the coasts frequently affecting the region. AccuWeather forecasters say that stormy weather will continue during this busy holiday travel week and warn that rounds of snow and ice could cause widespread disruptions.
The source of some of the unsettled, wintry weather is a storm that will push inland Tuesday night. The storm and its variety of hazards is being propelled eastward by an especially strong jet stream.
The period into Tuesday night will likely be when the most intense periods of snow occur across Washington.
While this will be a quick-hitting system, snow will become quite heavy at times, reaching over an inch per hour in many spots. The Cascades and Olympic Mountains should record the heaviest snow totals, with 1-2 feet over the highest elevations. Even in the heavily traveled Snoqualmie and Stevens Passes, a foot of snow is likely, meteorologists say.
Along much of the Interstate 5 corridor, temperatures will be more marginal which will result in wet and slushy snow and low overall totals, on the order of 1-2 inches. However, cities such as Bellingham should expect a general 3 to 6 inches of accumulation. Travel will be slippery, difficult and dangerous in some cases.
As this storm system continues well inland, accumulating snow will follow along with it.
"By Wednesday night and early Thursday, snow will shift into major cities such as Salt Lake City and Denver. With temperatures dropping to downright frigid levels, this snow will be quite dry, allowing it to accumulate quickly," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde explained.
Salt Lake City will likely pick up 1-3 inches of snow. Totals over 6 inches should be confined to the higher terrain of the Wasatch and Wyoming Ranges, as well as the Colorado Rockies. Amounts over a foot cannot be ruled out on the highest peaks, where the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 36 inches could be approached.
In Denver, total snow accumulations often vary across the surrounding area, and this storm should be no exception. While southeastern portions of the metro area may only get a few inches of snow, the western suburbs and foothills will have the best chance of seeing 6 inches or more of snow.
In addition to the snow accumulation itself, fierce winds are expected throughout the duration of this storm. Winds will gust well over 40 mph in the Colorado Rockies. Some areas could experience blizzardlike conditions. A blizzard is officially defined by the National Weather Service as when there are sustained winds over 35 mph and visibility of a quarter mile or less during periods of snow over the course of at least three consecutive hours.
Later on Wednesday and into Thursday, this storm will move out into the Plains and Midwest, developing into what will become an expansive blizzard for many of those areas. However, the frigid weather will move in quickly behind it.
In Denver, a city known for sharp fluctuations in temperature, Wednesday afternoon's high near 50 degrees is set to crater, as it is forecast to bottom out near 20 below zero by daybreak Thursday.
Farther north, the cold will turn even more brutal. Low temperatures in Billings, Montana, may approach 30 below zero Fahrenheit Wednesday night, with lows reaching past 20 below zero Fahrenheit across the state.
In these areas, gusty winds will make the conditions feel even colder, with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures plunging as low as 50 below zero Fahrenheit.
Those hoping for warmer weather around Christmas will not get their wish.
Later this week, another storm will roll ashore in the Northwest. This new storm will bring the likelihood of a significant amount of ice for the Columbia River Valley and portions of southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon.
As this storm threatens to create icy conditions along portions of the Interstate 5 and Interstate 84 corridors, travel conditions will remain difficult over portions of the northern and central Rockies due to areas of falling snow and gusty, frigid winds blowing around existing snow.
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